Nesta, the UKs innovation foundation, explored the diverse world of collaborative/sharing economies with its ‘Social Value In The Collaborative Economy’ conference. Per Nesta research, +45 million British adults are not aware of the benefits of social value ‘collaborative economy’ technologies like StreetBank, JustPark, Gobble versus more established entities like Uber and AirBnB.

Airbnb is a marquee company of the so-called sharing economy, but that doesn’t mean it wants to share its own stuff. Sharing-economy companies employ technology that enables individuals to transform personal assets into profit-making entities. Uber and Lyft enable cars to become taxis. Airbnb turns apartments into hotel rooms.

Technology and innovation are seen as the key drivers of growth and employment. One much-cited example is the “sharing economy.” But supporters are wrong when they contend it is likely to create a new culture of micro-entrepreneurs that will revolutionize the economy.

St. Paul is soon getting a new type of library—one that includes power drills, wrenches and lawn mowers. The St. Paul Tool Library will be the newest branch of the Northeast Minneapolis Tool Library, a nonprofit where members can check out tools for home repairs and projects. The new St. Paul location at 755 Prior Avenue N., in the Midway neighborhood, is slated to open late 2016 or early 2017.

Once upon a time, people who talked about a world in which people didn’t have to own things were called utopians and hippies. Now such folks tend to be capitalist adherents of the sharing economy popularized by Uber and Airbnb or the subscription economy being pioneered by Netflix and Spotify

Uber, Lyft, Airbnb and other sharing-economy platforms have transformed the way people move around, find a place to stay away from home and get tasks done. But are the new players siphoning off revenues and jobs from traditional providers?

At a FORBES 30 Under 30 discussion at Boston’s Emerson College, three technology executives emphasized the importance of building a relationship with their customers, especially for companies that have had little precedent.

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More about the Sharing Economy

Shared-Use Mobility Center
A public-interest organization working to foster collaboration in shared mobility and help connect the growing industry with transit agencies, cities, and communities across the nation